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Abstract:

A water heating system includes a housing that defines a substantially
enclosed interior region. A control panel is attached to the housing and
includes a display that displays a particular condition of the water
heating system. An access panel is attached to the housing for movement
between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first
position of the access panel, a passageway to the interior region of the
housing is provided, and, in the second position of the access panel, the
passageway to the interior region of the housing is closed. The display
is visible in both positions of the access panel such that movement of
the access panel from the second position to the first position
facilitates simultaneous access to the display and to the interior region
of the housing though the passageway.

Claims:

1. A water heating system comprising: a housing defining a substantially
enclosed interior region; a control panel attached to the housing and
including a display that displays a particular condition of the water
heating system; and an access panel attached to the housing for movement
between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first
position of the access panel, a passageway to the interior region of the
housing is provided, and, in the second position of the access panel, the
passageway to the interior region of the housing is substantially closed,
wherein the display is visible in both positions of the access panel such
that movement of the access panel from the second position to the first
position facilitates simultaneous access to the display of the control
panel and to the interior region of the housing though the passageway.

2. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the display is not
positioned on the access panel.

3. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the access panel is
pivotably coupled to the housing.

4. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the display includes at
least one of a gauge and an LED or an LCD display.

5. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the control panel is
moveable.

6. The water heating system of claim 5, wherein the control panel is
pivotably coupled to the housing.

8. The water heating system of claim 1 further comprising a second access
panel attached to the housing for movement between a first position and a
second position, wherein, in the first position of the second access
panel, a second passageway to the interior region of the housing is
provided, and, in the second position of the second access panel, the
second passageway to the interior region of the housing is substantially
closed, wherein the display is visible in both positions of the second
access panel such that movement of the second access panel from the
second position to the first position facilitates simultaneous access to
the display of the control panel and to the interior region of the
housing though the second passageway.

9. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the first position of the
access panel differs from the second position.

10. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the display of the
control panel is positioned at a location proximal the access panel.

11. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the display and the
access panel are positioned on the same side of the housing.

12. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured
for use as a boiler and/or for use as a domestic hot water supply.

13. The water heating system of claim 1 further comprising a gas valve
positioned within the interior region defined by the housing, said
passageway providing access to the gas valve when the access panel is in
the first position.

14. A method for accessing a component within an interior region of a
water heating system comprising: maintaining a control panel in a
position adjacent a housing of the water heating system; moving an access
panel of the water heating system from a closed position to an open
position, thereby opening a passageway between the component within the
interior region and an exterior region of the water heating system; and
accessing the component through the passageway while viewing the control
panel.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of moving another
access panel of the water heating system from a closed position to an
open position, is thereby opening another passageway between another
component of the water heating system and the exterior region.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of accessing the
another component through the another passageway while viewing the
control panel.

Description:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a water heating system and a
maintenance access system for a water heating system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Hydronic boilers operate by way of heating water (or any other
fluid) to a preset temperature and circulating the water throughout a
building or a home typically by way of radiators, baseboard heaters, and
so forth. Hydronic boilers typically include a burner, a gas valve, and a
heat exchanger. The boiler may also include a gauge for displaying a
condition of the boiler, such as temperature or pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In one exemplary aspect, a water heating system is provided. A
water heating system includes a housing that defines a substantially
enclosed interior region. A control panel is attached to the housing and
includes a display that displays a particular condition of the water
heating system. An access panel is attached to the housing for movement
between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first
position of the access panel, a passageway to the interior region of the
housing is provided, and, in the second position of the access panel, the
passageway to the interior region of the housing is substantially closed.
The display is visible in both positions of the access panel such that
movement of the access panel from the second position to the first
position facilitates simultaneous access to the display of the control
panel and to the interior region of the housing though the passageway.

[0004] In another exemplary aspect, a method for accessing a component
within an interior region of a water heating system is provided. The
method includes the steps of maintaining a control panel in a position
adjacent a housing of the water heating system; moving an access panel of
the water heating system from a closed position to an open position,
thereby opening a passageway between the component and an exterior region
of the water heating system; and accessing the component through the
passageway while viewing the control panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The invention is best understood from the following detailed
description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is
emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of
the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the
various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.
Included in the drawings are the following figures:

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water heating system according to
one exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0007]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the water heating system of FIG.
1, wherein the lower access panel is shown pivoted to an open position to
reveal internal components of the water heating system.

[0008] FIG. 2B is a front elevation view of the water heating system of
FIG. 2A.

[0009]FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the water heating system of FIG.
1, wherein the lower access panel and the control panel are both shown
pivoted to an open position to reveal internal components of the water
heating system.

[0010]FIG. 3B is a front elevation view of the water heating system of
FIG. 3A.

[0011]FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the water heating system of FIG.
1, wherein the lower access panel and the control panel are both shown
pivoted to an open position and the top panels are omitted to reveal
internal components of the water heating system.

[0012]FIG. 4B is a front elevation view of the water heating system of
FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with
reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be
limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made
to the illustrated embodiments within the scope and range of equivalents
of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also, the
embodiment selected for illustration in the figures is not shown to scale
and is not limited to the proportions shown.

[0014] FIGS. 1-4B depict an exemplary embodiment of a water heating system
that is designated by the numeral "10." The water heating system 10 may
also be referred to in the art as a boiler, a hydronic boiler, a water
heater, a tankless water heater, or an instantaneous water heater, for
example. The water heating system 10 generally includes a housing 12
defining a substantially enclosed interior region, a heat exchanger 13
contained within the housing 12, an inlet conduit for delivering water
(or other suitable liquid) into the water heating system 10, an outlet
conduit for distributing heated water (or other suitable liquid) from the
water heating system 10, a fuel-fired burner, a combustion inlet 14 for
introducing air into a fuel-fired burner, an exhaust gas outlet 16 for
expelling products of combustion, and an automatic air vent 18.

[0015] Referring now to FIG. 4B, the following components are positioned
at least partially within the interior of the housing 12: the heat
exchanger 13, a blocked vent pressure switch 20, an expansion tank 22, a
combustion air fan 24, a three-way valve 26, a condensate trap 28, a pump
30, a gas valve 32, and a water pressure switch 34. Those skilled in the
art will understand the function of those components of the water heating
system 10.

[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, a series of movable access panels are
provided on the front face of the housing 12 to provide access to the
internal components of the water heating system 10. More particularly, a
lower access panel 36 is hingedly connected to a lower front edge of the
housing 12. The access panel 36 is pivotable between a closed position
(see FIG. 1) and an open position (see FIG. 2A).

[0017] In the open position of the access panel 36, a user can access at
least the following components of the water heating system 10: the
three-way valve 26, the condensate trap 28, the pump 30, the gas valve 32
and the terminal block/field wiring connections 29. The access panel 36
may be hingedly connected to the housing 12, as shown, or, alternatively,
the access panel 36 may be removably coupled to the housing 12 or
otherwise coupled in such a way as to open or close a passageway
providing access to the interior region.

[0018] The access panel 36 includes the electronic components that are
configured for operating the water heating system 10, such as ignition
control, pump control, high limit temperate control and cascading/lead
lag control of the water heating system 10. The ignition control feature
is responsible for igniting the gas. The pump control feature is
responsible for activating the water heating system pump. The high limit
control prevents the temperature of the heated water from exceeding a
pre-determined limit. The cascading/lead lag control feature facilities
the connection of multiple water heating systems together.

[0019] A control panel 38 is pivotably connected to the front surface of
the housing 12 is directly above the lower access panel 36. The control
panel 38 is pivotable between a closed position (see FIG. 1) and an open
position (see FIG. 3A). The panel 38 may be hingedly connected to the
housing 12, as shown, or, alternatively, the panel 38 may be removably
coupled to the housing 12 or otherwise coupled in such a way as to open
or close a passageway providing access to the interior region.

[0020] The control panel 38 includes a power button 40 for on/off control
of the water heating system 10, a temperature/pressure gauge 41 for
displaying pressure and/or temperature levels of the water heating system
10, a visual display 42 which displays conditions and settings of the
water heating system 10, DONE and NEXT buttons 44 and 46, respectively,
for scrolling between menu items, and UP and DOWN arrow buttons 48 and
50, respectively, to change the numerical values of a particular menu
item. The NEXT button 48 increments the display 42 to the next item in a
menu structure, and the DONE button 50 returns the user to a Home screen.

[0021] The visual display 42 displays conditions of the water heating
system 10, such as, for example, fluid pressure, stack temperature (i.e.,
the temperature of the exhaust gas), temperature rise across the heat
exchanger, outlet water temperature, outdoor air temperature, and the
firing rate based upon fan speed. The visual display 42 also displays the
menu items of the water heating system 10, such as, for example, flame
sense signal, alert code, lockout code, outlet temperature limit,
domestic hot water limit setting, stack limit setting, minimum firing
rate allowed, minimum forced firing rate, and maximum forced firing rate.
The numerical value of a menu item may be adjusted using the UP and DOWN
arrow buttons 48 and 50, respectively. The display 42 may be an LED or an
LCD screen, for example.

[0022] As best shown in FIG. 2B, while the lower access panel 36 is
pivoted to an open is position, a user of the water heating system 10 can
adjust the setting of the three-way valve 26, the condensate trap 28, the
pump 30, the gas valve 32, and the field electrical connections (e.g.,
thermostat, system pump, alarm contacts), for example, while conveniently
viewing the display 42 and the gauge 41 and/or adjusting the settings of
the water heating system 10 via buttons 44, 46, 48 and 50. In this open
position, components in the interior region can be accessed for
disassembly, service, maintenance, repair, and/or setup. As is
illustrated in FIG. 2B, full access to such internal components and to
the control panel 38 is provided simultaneously. While the lower panel 36
is open, for example, the control components in the control panel 38 are
fully visible. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, a user
of the water heating system 10 can simultaneously access internal
components of the system 10 from the front of the system 10 while seeing
and/or manipulating control components also from the front of the system
10.

[0023] An access panel 60 is removably coupled to the front surface of the
housing 12. The access panel 60 is shown mounted to the housing 12 in
FIGS. 1-3B, and shown removed from the housing 12 in FIGS. 4a and 4B. The
access panel 60 may be slid or pulled off of the front surface of the
housing 12. Alternatively, the access panel 60 may be hingedly connected
to the housing 12.

[0024] Another access panel 62 is removably mounted to the front surface
of the housing 12. The access panel 62 is positioned beneath both the
access panel 60 and the control panel 38. One or more labels 63, which
include safety, operation and/or general information, are located on the
front face of the access panel 62. The labels 63 are concealed by the
control panel 38 while the control panel 38 is rotated to a closed
position. The access panel 62 is mounted to the front surface of the
housing 12 by a plurality of fasteners 64. To remove the access panel 60,
the control panel 38 is pivoted downwards to the open position (as shown
in FIG. 3A), the access panel 60 is detached from the housing 12, the
fasteners 64 are removed, and the access panel 62 is removed from the
housing 12. Alternatively, although not shown, the access panel 62 may be
hingedly connected to the housing 12.

[0025] Once the access panel 62 is removed, the user may adjust, for
example, the heat exchanger 13, the blocked vent pressure switch 20, the
expansion tank 22, the combustion air fan 24, the three-way valve 26, the
condensate trap 28, a pump 30, the gas valve 32, and a water pressure
switch 34. If so desired, the user may pivot the control panel 38 back to
the closed position (as shown in FIG. 2A), to conveniently view the
display 42 and the gauge 41 and/or adjust the settings of the water
heating system 10 via buttons 44, 46, 48 and 50 while manipulating the
internal components of the water heating system 10.

[0026] In the interests of convenience, the control panel 38 and the
panels 36, 60 and 62 are all positioned on the front side of the housing
12, and the control panel 38 is positioned directly adjacent the panels
36, 60 and 62. By positioning the control panel 38 (and, therefore, the
display 42 and the gauge 41) in the vicinity of the panels 36, 60 and 62,
a user does not have to look very far to observe the display 42 and the
gauge 41, or operate buttons 44, 46, 48 and 50 while manipulating the
interior components of the water heating system 10.

[0027] In use, and according to one aspect of the invention, an end-user
or installer of the water heating system would perform several steps to
access a component (e.g., a gas valve) within an interior region of the
housing 12 of the water heating system 10, namely, maintain the control
panel 38 in a position adjacent the housing 12 of the water heating
system 10; move an access panel 36, 60 and/or 62 of the water heating
system 10 from a closed position to an open position, thereby opening a
passageway between the component and an exterior region of the water
heating system 10; and access the component thru the passageway while
manipulating a control (e.g., buttons 44, 46, 48 and/or 50) on the
control panel 38.

[0028] Ornamentation of the sleek appliance-grade cabinet panels applied
to the housing 12 is disclosed and claimed separately in co-pending U.S.
Design patent application Ser. No. 29/376,266, which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety. It will be appreciated that a wide
variety and range of ornamental appearances can be selected for the
cabinet panels while providing the functional and performance benefits
disclosed herein.

[0029] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described herein, it will be understood that such embodiments are
provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and
substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing
from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the
appended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit and
scope of the invention.

Patent applications by Laars Heating Systems Company

Patent applications in class And casing feature for stand boiler or external water tank therefor

Patent applications in all subclasses And casing feature for stand boiler or external water tank therefor